Ire at project delays

The Standard (Warrnambool), Page: 6
Wednesday, 19 July 2006

THE developer of the Ryan's Corner and Hawkesdale wind farm projects has criticised the State Government for delaying planning decisions on wind farms. Gamesa Energy project manager Neil Weston said while he welcomed the Government's new Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) scheme, he was concerned projects appeared to be held up in the decision-making stage. "It is one element of concern to developers it has been a year since he (Planning Minister Rob Hulls) last approved a wind farm project," Mr Weston said. "I can think of half a dozen that have been waiting for a decision for a year or more.

"Mr Weston said wind farms waiting for a decision from the minister included Naroghid, Macarthur and Mount Gellibrand, as well as Dollar in Gippsland and Mount Mercer near Ballarat. "All those are sitting in the planning system. They've all been through the panel and are awaiting the minister's decision. "Mr Weston said Gamesa planned to lodge applications for the 31-turbine Hawkesdale wind farm and 68-turbine Ryan's Corner project within the next month.

Australian Wind Energy Association manager of media and community relations Rob Clancy said he hoped VRET might help speed-up wind farm decisions. A spokeswoman for Mr Hulls said wind farms were major developments with broad environmental, economic and social implications. "These need to be thoroughly examined and assessed, including wide public consultation," she said. "The process is exhaustive, but it is necessary in the interests of making sound decisions.

"The backlog of wind farm applications also suggests there could be a long wait for a decision on the 183-turbine Macarthur project for which a panel hearing was held in March. The spokeswoman said the department was still assessing the panel's report.